Substance abuse sanctions are fixed by negotiations with the NFLPA. Other misconduct sanctions, as here, are not.

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Agreed, the two issues aren't comparable. This one is judgment call about the severity of the situation. So in the NFL's judgment, beating a woman unconscious is no big deal -- roughly the equivalent of swinging around a helmet during a game.

I'm pretty shocked by the punishment or lack there of. rg does realize that most of America saw the elevator footage? I bet Mrs Goodell doesn't have to be told twice anymore after seeing where Roger stands on the subject.

Substance abuse sanctions are fixed by negotiations with the NFLPA. Other misconduct sanctions, as here, are not.

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Sure, but shouldn't the negotiated sanctions act as benchmarks against which non-negotiated sanctions can be judged. Common sense has it that beating on your spouse is worse than catching a buzz and therefore deserves a more serious sanction.

Open toe sucking degeneracy, tripping, profane abuse of fans, despicable public displays of overt gluttony and irresponsible team dietary escapades, wife beating, in game tripping...on and on and on and on...."move along everybody...nothing to see here...move along..."

I'm pretty shocked by the punishment or lack there of. rg does realize that most of America saw the elevator footage? I bet Mrs Goodell doesn't have to be told twice anymore after seeing where Roger stands on the subject.

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Speaking of being told twice, what do you tell a woman with two black eyes?

I think the league needs to work with the union to lay out more severe penalties for these types of infractions. The league should recognize the good PR in advocating stricter fines and suspensions, and let the NFLPA look bad if they oppose it.

Most across the league thought the punishment for Rice would be severe. Half a season, at least. After all, though Rice's lawyer spewed some mealy-mouth hypothetical bile to explain why a tiny woman was beat the hell up by a 206-pound NFL player, the aftermath was on tape. No way Rice would get off easy. No. Way.

Yet on Thursday it was announced that Rice was suspended just two games. Two games. For that.

I agree with all who state the matter of poor example setting for an issue as serious as domestic abuse, particularly since we all saw it on camera. Goodell should come down harder on these types of offenses, if he's really serious about making such a dramatic change.

That said, I pegged his punishment at 1-2 games way back when it happened, so I personally was not surprised in the least. If Roethlisberger can get 4 games total for allegedly raping multiple women, why would anyone have expected Rice to receive more than a game or two? The initial posts stating that "the Ravens will definitely cut him" or that "he'll see jail time" were hilarious to me.

This whole issue screamed "swept under the rug" from the get-go, at least in my opinion. Within days, the fiancee was already coming up with excuses for him, and they were back on good terms. I think we see behavior like this fairly often in some form, and while it's a shame, I think non-drug punishments in the NFL are relatively consistent. Just my opinion--I think anyone who would hit their wife or girlfriend is a major douche, and I question how she could have accepted his hand in marriage after this happened. I'm all for making up, seeking counseling (if necessary, like this scenario), and seeing a happy ending, but I think the victim here accepted his forgiveness much too early.

This is also a much bigger issue in america. You will get more jail time for drugs then domestic assault etc you could steal from a store and get more jail time then rape in some cases and if you are rich? Probation for you!!

a slight correction...you get more time for possession of marijuana, possession of UNPRESCRIBED legal drugs,and the fallen from favor former drug of the rich, cocaine. So shape up out there!!! You better take ONLY those drugs prescribed by a certified doctor, safe and effective drugs like...well, let's just start with the A's shall we?

yes, take these legal murdering drugs but get caught with a pound of weed?

25 YEARS IN PRISON!!!!!

Every friggin national politician in this country has his portfolio stuffed with Big Pharm stocks. Beat your wife? They got a drug for that. If it doesn't work you can always go out and get drunk on any street corner for 2 bucks and go blow your wife's head off...and then plead "bad prescription drug!"...the prosecutor will ask you if you smoked any weed prior and THERE IT IS!!!!! The murdering evil weed again!!!

THAT is how it works in this facked up country. Invent the boogeyman and then blame all YOUR mistakes and evil on it.